Roasted sausage served with mustard Oven-Roasted Sausages with Mustard Fideuà with cuttlefish served, garnished with fresh parsley Seafood Pasta with Cuttlefish (Fideuà) Haleem with vegetables served, rich, thick and spicy dish Vegetable Haleem Stew Blue cheese croissants served Blue Cheese Croissants Chocolate cream cake with chocolate glaze Old-Fashioned Chocolate Fudge Cake Tinda dahi with yogurt and cilantro, garnished with fresh lime leaf Creamy Yogurt Curried Squash (Tinda Masala) Spicy Biltong with lime slices and cilantro Spicy Biltong Salad with Lime Martabak Manis with condensed milk, chocolate, and banana Indonesian Sweet Pancake (Martabak Manis) Spicy Shakshuka with eggs and vegetables. Spicy Turkish Vegetable Shakshuka (Şakşuka) Frikadeller served with brown gravy and fresh parsley Danish Pork Meatballs (Frikadeller) with Gravy Creamy cauliflower and swiss chard soup served in a bowl Creamy Cauliflower & Swiss Chard Soup Strawberry cheesecake crepes plated Strawberry Cheesecake Crepes Oopsie bread low carb cloud bread fresh from the oven Oopsie Bread - Low Carb Cloud Bread Beef and yuba stir-fry with soy sauce and vegetables Beef & Yuba Stir-Fry Zeppole filled with sour cherry jam and dusted with sugar Sour Cherry Filled Italian Donuts Classic Berry Cobbler with biscuit topping Classic Berry Cobbler Freshly baked maple syrup calzone Sweet Ricotta & Maple Syrup Dessert Calzone Raspberry Waffles with fresh fruit Fresh Raspberry Waffles Moi Moi with palm oil, served fresh with rich flavors Savory Steamed Bean Pudding (Moi Moi) with Palm Oil Gua Bao steamed buns with pork belly and pickles Classic Taiwanese Pork Belly Buns (Gua Bao) Roasted sausage served with mustard Oven-Roasted Sausages with Mustard Fideuà with cuttlefish served, garnished with fresh parsley Seafood Pasta with Cuttlefish (Fideuà) Haleem with vegetables served, rich, thick and spicy dish Vegetable Haleem Stew Blue cheese croissants served Blue Cheese Croissants Chocolate cream cake with chocolate glaze Old-Fashioned Chocolate Fudge Cake Tinda dahi with yogurt and cilantro, garnished with fresh lime leaf Creamy Yogurt Curried Squash (Tinda Masala) Spicy Biltong with lime slices and cilantro Spicy Biltong Salad with Lime Martabak Manis with condensed milk, chocolate, and banana Indonesian Sweet Pancake (Martabak Manis) Spicy Shakshuka with eggs and vegetables. Spicy Turkish Vegetable Shakshuka (Şakşuka) Frikadeller served with brown gravy and fresh parsley Danish Pork Meatballs (Frikadeller) with Gravy Creamy cauliflower and swiss chard soup served in a bowl Creamy Cauliflower & Swiss Chard Soup Strawberry cheesecake crepes plated Strawberry Cheesecake Crepes Oopsie bread low carb cloud bread fresh from the oven Oopsie Bread - Low Carb Cloud Bread Beef and yuba stir-fry with soy sauce and vegetables Beef & Yuba Stir-Fry Zeppole filled with sour cherry jam and dusted with sugar Sour Cherry Filled Italian Donuts Classic Berry Cobbler with biscuit topping Classic Berry Cobbler Freshly baked maple syrup calzone Sweet Ricotta & Maple Syrup Dessert Calzone Raspberry Waffles with fresh fruit Fresh Raspberry Waffles Moi Moi with palm oil, served fresh with rich flavors Savory Steamed Bean Pudding (Moi Moi) with Palm Oil Gua Bao steamed buns with pork belly and pickles Classic Taiwanese Pork Belly Buns (Gua Bao)
Litti with meat, garnished with fresh cilantro
Spicy and juicy litti with meat, served with cilantro

Litti Chokha with Spicy Lamb Filling

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses
Litti Chokha is an iconic dish from the state of Bihar, originally food for farmers and travelers due to its long shelf life. 'Litti' is a dense ball made from whole wheat flour, traditionally baked over an open fire or coals. In this version, a spicy meat filling ('Keema') is added to the dough, combining bread and main course in a single sphere. The smoky flavor and the hard outer shell hiding a juicy interior make it special.
🕒 Prep Time 30 mins
🍳 Cook Time 40 mins
⌛ Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 580 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Indian (Bihari)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Skillet for the filling
  • Baking sheet or fryer
  • Mixing bowl

Allergen Information

⚠️ Wheat

Instructions

1 ✓

Prepare the dough: mix the flour with salt and 2 tablespoons of oil/ghee. Gradually add water and knead into a stiff but elastic dough. Cover and rest.

Tip: Fat in the flour makes the dough 'short', meaning it will be more tender after baking.
2 ✓

For the filling, heat a little oil in a skillet. Sauté the finely chopped onion and garlic.

Tip: Wait until the onion is golden brown; this adds sweetness.
3 ✓

Add the ground meat and brown over high heat until opaque, breaking up clumps continuously.

Tip: It is important for the meat to be crumbly, not a solid block.
4 ✓

Season with garam masala, salt, and pepper. Lower the heat and simmer covered for 10-15 minutes until the meat is tender and liquid cooks off.

Tip: The filling must be dry, otherwise it will make the dough soggy.
5 ✓

Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and chopped cilantro. Let cool.

Tip: Citric acid brightens the heavy meat flavors.
6 ✓

Divide dough into balls. Flatten in your palm, place a spoonful of filling in the center, then seal the edges and shape into a ball.

Tip: Ensure a tight seal so it doesn't open during cooking.
7 ✓

Fry the balls in plenty of medium-hot oil until golden brown, OR bake at 400°F (200°C) for 25-30 minutes.

Tip: If frying, oil shouldn't be too hot, as the thick dough needs time to cook through to the center.

Recipe FAQ

Why is the dough hard?
Litti dough is naturally denser than a bun, but if it's too hard, you didn't put enough fat (ghee/oil) in the dough while kneading, or you overbaked it.
Can I bake it in an oven instead of oil?
Yes! Originally it bakes on coals. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 20-30 mins, flipping halfway and brushing with ghee.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour (Atta)
  • 1 lb Ground Lamb (or Beef)
  • 1 whole Red Onion
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 1 tbsp Garam Masala
  • 1 bunch Fresh Cilantro
  • 1 whole Lemon (juice)
  • 4 tbsp Ghee or Olive Oil (for dough and frying)
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 pinch Pepper
  • 2/3 cup Water (for dough)